 | When planning out your yard or garden, you’ll want to create a great first impression. One way to do this is to create a beautiful walkway that will set the tone you are aiming for.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is determine the safety of your walkway area. Generally, a walkway is at least 3 feet wide, but no more than 4 feet. You want to make sure your walkway will allow two adults to walk side-by-side comfortably. You should also plan for your walkway to be well-lit with solar lights and level. Make sure you construct your walkway out of a firm material and one that is not slippery when it gets wet. Try to avoid long gravel walkways as it can sometimes be difficult to walk on and any glazed ceramic tiles as they can be slippery.
The next thing to do is to consider the primary purpose of your walkway. Most walkways lead the way from a door to a parking area or from the front door to the sidewalk. Whatever the purpose, whether to an entrance or to a garden, your walkway should set the tone.
In styling your walkway, remember that a clear cut, straight walk comes across as more formal, while a gently curving walk is less formal. How long your walkway is to be will also determine whether it should be straight or curved. A general rule of thumb is that if your walkway is under 20 feet in length, it should be a straight walk.
There are several material in which you can use to construct your walkway. The following is just of the few of your available choices.
Brick
While a brick walkway can be very appealing, it can also be expensive and can take a lot of time to lay. However, brick is relatively easy to maintain.
Exposed Aggregate
Exposed aggregate is a concrete mixed with marble-size stones. While this can be very durable if done correctly, if very coarse aggregate is not used, it can become very slippery when it gets wet.
Custom Paving
When custom paving your walkway, you can add a definite appeal by simply adding dyes or stains to the concrete mix and shaping your concrete into forms of almost any shape. Before it hardens, you can even decorate with things such as coins or shards of porcelain by simply pressing them into the concrete.
Mulch
Generally, mulch is good for those quick and easy paths, unless you’ll be wheeling around a garden cart or a wheelbarrow. It is very easy to maintain and can be one of the least expensive.
Stone
While refined stone can be more durable than fieldstone, it can also be more costly. However, whatever type of stone you use, it will almost be maintenance free.
Stepping Stones
There are a variety of stepping stones produced and you can easily combine more than one to make your own unique walkway. You can combine a variety or colors along with a variety of shapes to get the look you desire.
Whatever material you end up using, remember to make your walkway your own. Decorate your walkway with plants and ornaments and then enjoy what you’ve done.
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